


When We Collide

by asgardians0001



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Domestic, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-02 01:58:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19189591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asgardians0001/pseuds/asgardians0001
Summary: " There are those who live more in a year than they do in a thousand."Thorin Oakenshield wakes up in the middle of a strange town instead of the halls of his ancestors after his battle with Azog. He spends one year getting acquainted with Nara, a woman who just wanted a steady paycheck and a little excitement in her life. This was taken away from him when he wakes up in Erebor a day after the battle has passed. He was sure their paths will never cross again.She proves him wrong by showing up by the front gates of Erebor in the middle of a terrible snowstorm.( coming soon )





	When We Collide

Thorin Oakenshield didn't question the afterlife.

The statement is partially true since Thorin wasn’t against the idea of returning to Aule to serve him once more, he believes that Mahal will give him a place amongst the Children in the End, and he shall be reunited with the Fathers of Old once his time in Middle Earth comes to an end. However, he does question the idea of something more.

No matter how much he despises elves, he can't help but be interested in their concept of the afterlife, of being reborn once more.

The belief of being reincarnated in another life sends a thrill of excitement through him, for even if he doesn't doubt the paradise offered in the afterlife, he wished that perhaps he would be given more time to enjoy the simple pleasure of mortal life. Despite the hardships ever since Smaug attacked him and the burdens he had to carry as a king without a crown, he cannot deny that the only reason he does not wish to die is that he simply hasn't lived his life the way he wanted to.

All this time, he had lived his life according to his needs. He had lived his life bound by responsibilities, by promises he has to fulfill. He wakes up every day with the thought of reclaiming Erebor, he closes his eyes every dawn with a dream of a once prosperous kingdom. He had lived his life as a king, by sacrificing his life as a person. When was he going to live his life according to what he wants?

It is a selfish request, and he knows this. That is why he never told anyone, not even Balin, who have stood by him ever since the Smaug had reigned over their kingdom, not even Dwalin, who have fought by his side countless of times and not even his own sister, Lady Dis, the only one who can help him carry the burden of a hollow crown. So he followed Gandalf's advice and led a company of thirteen dwarves and one Hobbit to a quest to reclaim Erebor, his wish growing heavier and heavier through every peril they encountered, resting heavily against the right side of his chest like an old wound.

He was not afraid to die, whether in the hands of an enemy or in the claws of a dragon, he knew that it was unlikely that he will come out of this alive. Sacrifices must be made, and if he has to lay down his life for glory and honor, then he shall. It was a noble thing to do amongst warriors, amongst kings.

But everyone wants something, even Thorin, even if he had been groomed to become a king and a warrior at such a young age his heart can't help but long for things that are mundane.

The only time he could finally wish for this was when he was dying. As he lay there in the snowy Alps, holding one hand limply against his wound, he prayed with all that's left of his beating heart that maybe Mahal would be kind enough to grant him this. He could see Bilbo Baggins of the Shire telling him that everything will be alright, and he wanted to scold the Hobbit for making promises he cannot keep.

A part of him wants to hold on of what's left of the light, he wants to wake up to his nephews and sister, he wants to see his company one last time, he wants to trace his hands against the halls of Erebor and relish the feeling of the stones under his fingers, he wants to feast with his people as they rejoice their return once more and he wants to continue living his life.

However, a part of him ached to let go, to let the darkness engulf him like mist. Does he truly want to go back, or is it his sense of duty? He wanted to know life outside the confinements of a king, life where he doesn't have to keep up with dirty politics, a life where he wouldn't be buried in duties he never asked for, a life where he could be selfish.

He wanted to submit into the dark and join his ancestors, but moreover, he wants to see whether Mahal had granted his wish. He wanted to see if he was worthy enough, whether the deeds he has done in his world was enough to send him to another place, another life.

He pictured his sister and nephews, grieving over him. He imagined how painful it must be for the company, to watch their leader die. He saw Fili being crowned too soon. He envisioned the forges and halls he would never meet again. He would never feel the heat of the fire against his skin as he crafts, he would never relish in the laughter of his companions and he would never get to revisit the home he had left too soon.

But he pictured living a simple life, the kind Bilbo so fondly talks about. He imagined the humble comfort of a warm bed and hot meal, the flickering of the fireplace beside an armchair, the rustling of the trees against autumn wind and maybe, just maybe, a woman he could share this life with.

That was enough to make him close his eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

Nara Tanako wasn't good at many things.

She used to be a track runner back in her high school days. Whether it would be sprints or relays, Nara would join. However, she was overly fond of running hurdles. She would never be chosen last by her teammates, and you can't find her on any bench every sports festival. She would leap over the hurdles with ease, again and again. It was the only thing Nara excelled at, judging from the way her brother would cheer at her from the bleachers everytime she wins first place.

That was years ago, now that Nara was out of High School she seemed to have no control over her life. Initially, she wanted to take the heavy subjects her brother did, she wanted to tackle law and accounting with a dream to become famous. It was natural for a girl like her to want such ambitious things, but she was barely through with the semester when she realized she hated all of it. She hated science just as much as she hated maths, as seen by her failing marks.

It took her a while to realize that she had a passion for arts, and she was also relatively good at it. She started with doodles and sketches, before experimenting with watercolor and canvas, although she doubts that she could do sculpting. However, that was enough to show her that was where her passion blooms. The world, however, didn't seem to enjoy the idea.

It is common, for Asian parents, to disagree with their children who take arts as a life career. At least, her parents did. They would scold her about wanting to pursue one, complaining about why she couldn't be more like her brother. (  _" Remember Nara it's called ' doctor ' not ' actor '."_  )

They had no issue with the golden child because her brother was one step away from being an astrophysicist, which of course delighted not only her relatives but her entire neighborhood as well, making Katsuki Tanako the pride and joy of the family.

Life passed by like a blur after that, all she did was blink and her father passed away without ever telling her that he was proud of his only daughter. Her mother was suddenly being cared for back in their hometown in Nagoya, Japan, and her brother was married with two kids and a financially stable career. Meanwhile, Nara was stranded in the middle of Melbourne, Australia, a year out of university and still jobless. 

She messed up every single job interview she took, nearly crossing out sixty names off the newspaper and throwing out a total of seventy pens. With barely three months until she gets evicted, Nara itched to accept the money her big brother sends her every year, yet she couldn't bring herself to do it. She doesn't know whether it was her sense of pride or some buried feelings of sibling rivalry, she just couldn't.

So Nara continued, or rather, forced herself to wake up at the early hours of the morning to take the first tram to the city. She took every job there is, waitressing, motel cleaning, car washing and she even put on a stuffy suit to become a restaurant's mascot for three months. She even applied for bizarre jobs, such as penguin feeder at the zoo and a club bouncer's assistant ( why a bouncer needs an assistant she still doesn't understand.)

With these temporary jobs, Nara managed to get rid of her land lady's complaints and still look for a permanent job. Yet, despite her cheery outlook, she still couldn't help but feel upset. There's this sense of disappointment she carries around with her, and she wished that there was more to her life. She wanted something exciting, and she even contemplated on joining a season of  _The Bachelor_  just to spice things up.

It's odd really, a long time ago she was jumping over hurdles as if it was nothing, now she couldn't even make it to the finish line, she was stuck as if someone had suddenly stolen her ability to jump over the hurdles.

It was a simple wish, it doesn't involve a million dollars or a brand new car, but it was enough for someone like her.

It was enough.

 


End file.
